


She poured out honor like a fountain, all around her.

by Willowbarb



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire, game of thrones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-28 04:15:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18748819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowbarb/pseuds/Willowbarb
Summary: If you must break a solemn oath don’t do it in the vicinity of the most honourable knight in the kingdom...





	She poured out honor like a fountain, all around her.

**Author's Note:**

> Those fond of Lois Bujold’s work will recognise the slightly tweaked quote from Aral Vorkosigan which serves as the title.

Brienne of Tarth had devoted her life to striving to attain the ideals of honour, and had sworn herself to the service of Sansa Stark to fulfil her vow to the Lady Catelyn, since she was now lost to the god of death. Such vows go far beyond providing a place at the table and a roof to sleep under; the lord or lady who accepted the service has duties, just as those swearing have duties.

But Sansa had failed to grasp that a Lord could not ask any true knight to act dishonourably, just as she failed to understand that no true knight would stay with a Lord who had behaved dishonourably.

Indeed, if the Lord behaved in an dishonourable manner for her personal advantage then the knight must abjure her loyalty since otherwise the knight herself had no honour. Sansa Stark understood none of this; Littlefinger’s lessons hadn’t included it, and she had ignored her parents when they had striven to divert her from her dreams of ruling Westeros as Queen.

Ser Brienne of Tarth was the truest knight in the Seven Kingdoms; her honour was so pure that it was impossible to divert her from it. And the servants at Winterfell gossiped about Sansa who had told Tyrion of Jon’s lineage, having sworn a solemn vow not to do so.

And Brienne heard them.

When Brienne of Tarth discovered that Sansa had sworn a solemn vow, and broken it within minutes, had plotted in Winterfell to overthrow the woman who had saved not only her life, but millions of others from the Night King, and betrayed those who were no longer needed for her plans, Brienne knew that she had seen this before.

She had seen it in Cersei, and it disgusted her. She, who had executed Stannis Baratheon for the murder of his brother, spared Sansa’s life, but she left Winterfell with Podrick for ever that night.

And the news spread, and the Seven Kingdoms knew that the greatest knight of all had rejected Sansa Stark and would serve her no more; none of Littlefinger’s lessons had taught her how to deal with the contempt of decent people for an Oathbreaker. 

Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, had done what he could to redeem himself by fighting through the long night against the Night King, whilst Stansa had cowered in the crypt, plotting against the Dragon Queen. But what could she do to equal that willingness to die in the service of the living? 

Nothing, since she would not endanger herself for any reason, and so in the end the Seven Kingdoms judged her, pronounced her a coward, and left her to rot - she might have survived that since she could sneer at them as Southrons -but the North grieved for House Mormont which had died defending them, and that was a debt which could never be paid.

And so with Winterfell at their backs, Brienne and Podrick rode south to face death in Kingslanding, but if it came it would be an honourable death, fighting for those who could not defend themselves. And that was something that Sansa Stark could never understand; she had no honour. Fortunately for Westeros, Brienne had more than enough to spare.


End file.
